Engine starting mechanism



G. B. AND R. S. LEHMAN.' ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM. APPLICATION men AUG.24, 1918.

1,316,168. PatentedSept. 16,1919.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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a. B.'AND R. s. LEHMAN. ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.24, 1918.

1 ,3 1 6, 1 68. Patented Sept. 16, 1919.

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rrnn STATES PATENT orr on.

'enonen IB. LEI-[MAN AND RALPH nnnnnn, OF NORTH LIBERTY, INDIANA.

ENGINE srsnrine rmcrian sn.

Specification of Iietters Patent. Patented Sept, 16, 1919.

Application filed August 24, 1918 Serial No. 251,252.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we GEORGE E. LEHMAN and RALPH S. LEI-IMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at North Liberty, in the county of St. Joseph and State of In diana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine Starting Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved engine starting mechanism, and has for its primary object to provide means for easily and quickly starting the operation of an internal combustion engine such asis used upon motor vehicles, having power means for the operation thereof which is automatically rendered effective in the continued operation of the engine after startin It is another andmore particular object of our invention to provide a device for the above purpose embodying a primary power member, manually operable means normally locking said power member against operation, gearing operatively connecting said member to the engine shaft including loosely mounted transmission gears and a shiftable clutch element, means automatically actuated after the engine has been started to shift said clutch and reverse the rotation of said power member to thereby render the power means effective for the subsequent operation of said member, and means to automatically shift the clutch to neutral position.

It is also a detail object of the invention to provide a starting mechanism for internal combustion engines which is relatively simple in its construction, may be easily adapted to various types of motor vehicle engines, is not liable to get out of order, and may be produced at relatively small manufacturing cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved combination, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, subsequently claimed and illustrated in the accompany ng drawings in which similar reference charac ters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of our start? ing mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the clutch member operatively engaged with one of the gear elements to transmit power to the engine shaft;

Flg. 4:18 a similar view showing the clutch member engaged with the other gear element;

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing the means for automatically returning the clutch shifting mechanism to neutral posit1on after the power spring has been rewound, the actuating bar 28 being shown in dotted lines and the'arms 39 and 10 in section, the view being taken from the opposite side of the disk 36 to that shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. Gis a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. a

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 deslgnates a suitable casing or housing which may be mounted and arranged in any preferred manner on the frame of the motor vehicle at one side of the engine. A horizontal 6 18 secured at its ends to the opposite slde walls of said caslng and a vertically disposed bar 7 is secured to said horizontal bar and extends above the same, and at its lower end is fixed to the bottom wall of the casin In the vertical bar 7 and the wall of the casing 5, the ends of a spring motor shaft 8 are journaled. A ratchet.

wheel 9 is fixed upon this shaft and to one face of this ratchet wheel a mitered or beveled gear 10 is secured. Upon the same face of the wheel 9, a spiral rib or flange 11 is formed adjacent to the ratchet teeth 12 of said wheel. y

13 designates a he; vy coiled motor spring which is fixed at one of its ends to the shaft 8 and is engaged at its other end upon a rod or bolt 14 which is mounted in one side wall of the casing 5 and in one end of a horizontal bar 15, which is fixed to the opposite side walls of the casing and is dis posed in spaced relation to the upper end of the vertical bar 7. A power transmission shaft 16 is rotatably mounted in the side walls of the casing and has a sprocket 17 fixed upon one of its ends exteriorlyof the casing which is connected by means of an endless chain to a similar sprocket on the cranking shaft of the engine.

Inaddition to the beveled gear 10, the wheel 9 is provided with an additional annular gear 18 on the same face thereof between said beveled gear and the spiral flange 11. Pinions 19 and 20 are loosely mounted clutch member 21.

on the shaft 16 in spaced relation to each other and have constant meshing engagementwith the gears 10 and 18 respectively on the ratchet wheel 9. Between the pinions 19 and 20 a double clutch member 21 is splined upon the shaft 16, the clutch teeth .on opposite ends of said member respectively engaging complementary clutch teeth on the gears 19 and 20.

A clutch shifting lever 22 is fulcrumed for pivotal movement, as indicated at 23, between the upper end of the vertical bar 7 and the horizontal bar 15. This lever at its lower end is formed with the usual yoke which is engaged with one side wall of the annular channel or groove 24 formed in the To this lever arm, a leaf spring 25 is fixed at one of its ends and the other end thereof is also provided with a yoke engaged against the opposite side wall of the groove 24. The lever 22 at its upper end is formed with a laterally projecting arm 26 having a reduced angularly disposed terminal 27. This terminal of the lever arm is engaged in a cam slot 29 formed in a shiftable actuator bar 28 Which'is suitably mounted at its ends'in the opposite side walls of the casing 5. This arm is preferably actuated and moved in one direction through the medium of a suitable foot pedal, indicated at-30.

Upon the rod 14, a dog 31 is loosely mounted at one of its ends and has operative engagement at its other end with the teeth 12 of the ratchet wheel 9. To this latter end of the dog, the arms of a yoke 32 are suitably fixed, and through this yoke, the shiftable bar 28 is loosely engaged. The upper edge of said bar is inclined, as shown at 33, to ride against the medial portion of the yoke when said bar is moved in one direction and thereby lift the free end of the dog from engagement with the ratchet teeth. A coil spring 34 is connected at one of its ends to said dog and at its other end to the casing wall and normally acts to hold the dog in operative engagement with the ratchet; A similar spring 35 is also connected to the bar to yieldingly retain said barin its normal position.

For the purpose of returning the actuator bar 28 and the clutch to their neutral positions, we provide the mechanism which will now be described.

Upon the bar 15, a disk 36 is rotatably mounted, and pins or studs 37 and 38 respectively project from one side of this disk at diametrically opposite points. These pins are adapted to coact with the depending arms 39 and 40 respectively which are fixed to the shiftable bar 28. The disk 36 is further provided upon its perimeter with a radially projecting lug 41. The spring 42 connected to said disk yieldingly holds the disk against rotation in one direction and retains the pin 37 thereof in contact against the arm 39. This spring 42 is of greater strength than the spring 35 which resists the movement of the bar 28. This is to permit the spring 42 when the disk 36 is released, to return the parts to their neutral position, that is to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Upon a bracket member 43 fixed to the horizontal bar 6, a worm gear 44 is rotatably mounted and with the teeth of this gear, the spiral flange 11 on the ratchet wheel 9 is operatively engaged. A tappet arm 45 is fixed to one side of the gear 44 and is adapted for engagement with a vertically disposed rod 46 pivoted, as at 47, upon a bracket 48 fixed to one side wall of the casing 5. The upper end of this rod is formed with a hook or shoulder 49 and a coil spring 50 connected to the lower end of said rod operates to move the upper end of said rod, whereby the hook 49 is engaged with the lug 41 on the disk 36 in one position of said disk, as will be presently more fully explained.

In the operation of the mechanism, as suming that the parts are in the relative positions seen in Fig. 1 and the spring 13 is wound, then when the foot pedal is depressed, the bar 28 is shifted to the right in Fig. l or left in Fig. 5. The lower end of the cam slot 29, coacting with the arm 26 of the lever 22, rocks the lever upon its fulcrum and shifts the clutch member 21 to the right to operatively engage said. clutch member with the beveled pinion 19. (See Fig. In this movement of the bar 28, the inclined edge 33 thereof, coacting with the yoke 32, lifts the free end of the dog 31 from engagement with the ratchet teeth 12. The power spring 13 is thus released and in unwinding transmits rotation through the shaft 16 and the chain connection between said shaft and the cranking shaft to the power shaft of the engine. At the time. that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, the disk 36 is in the position shown in Fig. 5. The pin 38 bears against the arm 40, the pin 37 against the arm 39 and the spring 42 is relaxed. In the sliding movement of the bar 28, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3, the arm 40 thereof, coacting with the pin 38 on the disk 36, rotates said disk from its neutral position as shown in Fig. 5 against the action of the holding spring 42, thereby moving the lug 41 on said disk in juxtaposition to the upper end of the rod 46, and thereby shifting the pins 37 and 38 into vertical alinement. The hook 49 on said rod does not immediately engage the lug 41. as the tappet arm 45 on the underside of the gear 44 is engaged with said rod. After the spring 13 has unwound slightly, said arm is moved in the rotation of the gear through the medium of the spiral flange 11 out of contact with the rod so that the spring 50 may move said rod and engage the hook 19 thereof with the lug 41 on the disk 86. When so engaged the disk is held from reverserotation, that is, from a clockwise rotation in Fig. 3. If the engine backfires and reverses the rotation of the shaft 16, the clutch member 21 will move longitudinally on the shaft relative to the pinion 19 with which it is engaged, the leaf spring 25 permitting of such movement of the clutch member. If after the engine has been started, and regardless of the fact that the spring 13 may not have become entirely unwound, pressure on the foot pedal is released, the spring 35 acts to retract the bar 28 to the limit of movement permitted by the length of the slot 29 as shown in Fig; 4. When the upper end of the slot 29 engages the terminal of the lever 22, said lever is rocked upon its fulcrum to shift the clutch member 21 and operatively engage said member with the beveled pinion 20. Rotation is now transmitted to the shaft 16 from the engine shaft, and the gear 20 meshing with the gear 18 on the wheel 9, reverses the rotation of said wheel to thereby rewind the power spring 13. In this reverse rotation of the power wheel 9, the rotation of the worm gear 14: is likewise reversed and when the spring has been rewound, the tappet arm 15 on this gear strikes the rod 16 and moves the upper hooked end of said rod away from engagement with the lug 4-1 on the disk 36. The pin 37 on said disk, being engaged with the arm 39 on the bar 28, moves said bar to the right under the action of the spring 42 to a neutral position wherein the terminal of the lever 22 is disposed in the medial portion of the cam slot 29. In this movement of the bar, the lever 22 is rocked and the clutch member 21 shifted to neutral position on the shaft 16 between the pinions 19 and 20, thus stopping the further rotation of the wheel 9. The parts are thus again in the positions seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings so that the mechanism may be again operated to start the motor in the manner above explained.

The spring 25 on the clutch shifting lever 22 also permits of the operative movement of the bar 28 to its full extent in case the clutch teeth should failto mesh. Also, if the foot of the operator is not removed from the pedal whenthe engine starts, the spring 25 will allow the clutch to be pushed out in the reverse rotation of the pinion 19 so that the spring 13 will not be further unwound and possibly broken.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of our improved engine es starting mechanism w1ll be clearly and dent or injury to the parts of the mechathat they will occupy but small space. The

various elements employed are likewise of simple and durable construction so that the mechanism will not be liable to get out of order. We have above referred to the chain connection between the power transmission shaft 16 of the mechanism and the cranking shaft of the engine, but it will be apparent that gears or other alternative means may be substituted therefor. It will also be understood that the engine may be manually cranked in the usual way if through accinism it should be necessary to do so. While we have herein shown and described the preferred construction and relative arrangement of the various features of our improved engine starting mechanism, it is manifest that the same are susceptible of a great many minor modifications therein and we, therefore, reserve the privilege of adoptmg all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

1. An engine starting mechanism including a spring motor, a starting shaft, power transmitting means shiftable to a plurality of positions in one position operatively connecting the spring motor to the starting shaft to drive the latter from the former, in another position transmitting power from the starting shaft to the spring motor to wind up the motor spring, and in a third or neutral position disconnecting the starting shaft from the motor, means normally holding the spring motor from actuation, but permitting the winding up of the motor spring and shiftable to release the spring motor, manually actuatable means shiftable in one direction and operatively connected to the holding means to release it upon said shifting movement,and simultaneously shift the power transmission means to its first named position, said manually actuatable means being shiftable in the opposite direction to-permit the holding means toreturn to its operative position and shifting the power transmission means to its second named position, shiftable means in one position holding the power transmission mechanism in its second position but shiftable to release the power transmission mechanismto permit it to return to its neutral position and means acting automatically when the spring has been fully wound up to release mally holdingthe motor from actuation under the action of the spring but permitting shaft to .action of the starting the spring to be wound up, manually actuatable means for releasing said holding means, means whereby a rotation of the starting shaft under power Will cause a. rewinding of the motor spring, means for operatively disconnecting the starting shaft from the motor spring when the spring has been fully wound up, said means including a gear wheel, and a rotatable member operatively connected to the spring to rotate therewith and having a spiral track engageable with said gear wheel.

3. A starting mechanism including a spring motor, a starting shaft, shiftable transmission mechanism for operatively connecting the spring motor to the starting shaft to transmit power from the spring motor to the starting shaft or operatively connect the starting shaft to the spring motor to transmit power from the starting the motor to wind up the spring or shiftible to a neutral position entirely disconnecting the motor from the starting shaft, means for holding the spring motor from actuation under the tension of its spring, manually actuatable means shiftable from a neutral position and operatively connected to the holding means to release it when so shifted and operatively connected to the power transmission means to shift it to thefirst named position when the manually actuatable means is shifted from its neutral position in one direction, means causing the manually actuatable means to shift in a direction to operatively engage the starting shaft with the spring motor to cause the rewinding of the spring under the shaft, means for holding the manually actuatable member and said transmission means in the last named position, and means shiftable from an inoperative to an operative position by the rotation of the starting shaft under power and in the last named position releasing said holding means to permit the return of the trans mission means to its neutral position.

4. A starting mechanism including a spring motor, a starting shaft, shiftabl'e transmission mechanism for operatively connecting the spring motor to the starting shaft to transmit power from the spring motor to the starting shaft or operatively connect the starting shaft to the spring motor to transmit power from the starting shaft to the motor to wind up the spring or shiftable to a neut *al position entirely disconnecting the motor from the starting shaft, means for holding the spring motor from actuation under the tension of its spring, manually actuatable means shiftable from a neutral position and operatively connected to the holding means to release it when so. shifted and operatively connected to the power transmission means to shift it to the first named position when the man ually actuatable means is shifted from its neutral position in one direction, means causing the manually actuatable means to shift in a direction to operatively engage the starting shaft with the spring motor to cause the rewinding of the spring under the action of the starting shaft, means for holding the manually actuatable member and said transmission means in the last named position until the spring has been fully wound up and then shifting the transmission means to its neutral position, including a member rotatable by and with the motor spring and having a spiral rib thereon, and a member rotated by engagement with said spiral rib.

5. A starting mechanism including a spring motor, a starting shaft, shiftable transmission mechanism for operatively connecting the spring motor to the starting shaft to transmit power from the spring motor to the starting shaft or o] )erativcly connecting the starting shaft to the spring motor to transmit power from the starting shaft to the motor to wind up the spring or shiftable to a neutral position entirely disconnecting the motor from the starting shaft, 'means for holding the spring motor from actuation under the tension of its spring, manually actuatable means shiftable from a neutral position and operatively connected-to the holding means to release it when so shifted and operatively connected to the power transmission means to shift it to the first named position when the manually actuatable means is shifted from its neutral position in one direction, means causing the manually actuatable means to shift in a direction to operatively engage the starting shaft with the spring motor to cause the rewinding of the spring under the action of the starting shaft, means for holding the manually actuatable member and said transmission means in the last named position until the spring has been fully wound up and then shifting the transmission means to its neutral position, including a latch urged to its operative position by a spring. means for shifting the latch to an inoperative position including a gear wheel having a lug adapted to engage the latch, and means for rotating the gear wheel in cluding a rotatable member operatively connected to the spring motor and rotating with the spring and having a spiral rib thereon engaging with the gear wheel.

6. An engine starting mechanism including a motor shaft, a coiled motor spring operatively connected to the shaft, a ratchet wheel carried by the shaft and having ratchet teeth, a starting shaft extending parallel to the face of the ratchet wheel and having a pair of spaced beveled gear wheels loosely mounted thereon, a pair of annular gears concentric to each other carried on newn s the face of the ratchet wheel and en ageable respectively with the beveled gear wheels, a double clutch; member jmounted upon said starting shaft and shiftable from a neutral position in either direction to engage one or the other ofthe beveled gear.

acting automatically to release said actuat ing member to permit it and the clutch member to return to their neutral positions.

7. A starting mechanism includin a motor actuated gear wheel, a starting shaft having a beveled gear wheel thereon engageable with the first named gear, said beveled gear wheel being loose on the starting shaft and having ratchet clutch teeth, a sliding clutch member having ratchet clutch teeth coacting with the first named clutch member teeth, the sliding clutch being annularly grooved, an operating arm extending into said groove and shiftable to shift the clutch member, said arm having a thickness less than that of the annular groove, and a leaf spring connected to said arm and extending into the annular groove, the leaf spring being resiliently urged away from the arm whereby to permit the clutch member to yield when the starting shaft rotates in a direction to cause the clutch teeth to ride over each other and thereby prevent the shifting of said arm.

8. A starting mechanism including a spring actuated shaft having thereon a ratchet wheel, the face of the wheel being provided with two concentric gears, a start ing shaft extending parallel to the face of the ratchet wheel and having two beveled gear wheels loosely mounted thereon and engaging respectively with the gears on the ratchet wheel, the gear wheels being provided with clutch teeth, a double ended clutch member splined on the starting shaft and shiftable into engagement with either of said gear wheels or into neutral position, a shipper lever engaging the clutch and pivoted intermediate its ends, a manually actuatable sliding bar having a cam face with which the extremity of the lever engages, said cam face shifting the clutch'in a direction to operatively engage the spring actuated shaft with the starting shaft to transmit motion from the spring actuated shaft to the starting shaft upon a longitudinal movement in one direction of the actuating bar, and to operatively engage the clutch with the other gear "Wheel on the shaft to to shift it,

. wound thereby transmit motion. from the starting shaft to the spring actuated shaft to wind up the1spring, means urging the actuating bar into its second named position, a member shiftable by the initial shifting of the actuating bar to a position to permit the actuating. bar to shift under the impulseof the said urging means,.1neans for locking. said member insaid last named position, means urging, said member to a neutralposition, means acting when the spring has been up torelease-said member to permit it to shift to a neutral position and thereby shift the actuating bar to a Delltral position, a pawl engaging the ratchet wheel. and preventing rotation thereof under the action of the sprin and means rs: operatively connected to the actuating bar for releasing said pawl upon an initial movement of the actuating bar from its neutral position.

9. In engine starting mechanism, a rotatable power member, a coiled spring connected to said member to rotate the same in one direction, gearing for operatively connecting said member to the engine shaft to transmit rotation to said shaft under the action of the spring, or toreverse the rotation of said member and restore the energy of the spring, a shiftable clutch member coacting with the gearing to establish either relation between said power member and the engine shaft, a lever operatively engaged with said clutch member, a rectilinearly movable actuator operatively engaged with said lever to establish the driv ing relation between the power member and the engine shaft when the actuator is shifted in one direction and to establish the driven relation between the power memher and the engine shaft when the actuator is shifted in the opposite direction, a rotatable part rotated in one direction in the initial movement of the actuator, a spring resisting such rotation of said part, means to coact with said part and hold the same against movement to its normal position under the action of said spring, a trip device for said latter means operatively connected with the power member to actuate said means and release the rotatable part when the spring has been rewound, and means on said rotatable part to shift the actuator bar and move the clutch member to a neutral position.

10. In engine starting mechanism, a rotatable power member, a coiled actuating spring connected to said member, said memher having ratchet teeth on its periphery, a dog to engage said teeth and hold the power member against rotation under the action of said spring, gearing to operatively connect said member to the engine shaft to rotate the latter, or to reverse the rotation. of said member after the engine has been started and rewind the spring, a shiftable clutch member coaeting with said gearing, a lever operatively engaged with said clutch member, fan {actuator having cam means coacting with the lever when the actuator is moved in one direction to shift the clutch member, whereby rotation is transmitted from the power member to the engine shaft, means connected to the dog and engaged by said actuator to release the power member for rotation, said actuator when moved in the reverse direction shifting the clutch member to establish the driven relation between the power member copies of this patent be obtained for five cents each, by

and the engine shaft whereby the spring j is rewound, and means automatically operable to shift the clutch member to a neutral position, said actuator permitting the engagement of the dog with the ratchet teeth of the power member.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE B. LEHMAN. RALPH S. LEHIWAN. Witnesses:

A. M. HEGKMAN, MABEL KEPLINGER.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

